Pat Shortt appeals for help over missing actor Gerry McCann

Comedian Pat Shortt has appealed for the public's help in tracing actor Gerry McCann, who went missing last Thursday.

It was “ very much out of character” for Mr McCann (47) not to be in touch with his family and they were “very concerned at this stage”, Shortt said.

The actor was being treated for anxiety and went missing from the St John of God hospital in Stillorgan last Thursday.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio today, Shortt described him as a "a soft natured man, very approachable" and urged anyone who saw him to "go up and talk to him and try to contact the gardaí".

The missing man has “fair short spiky hair, a little bit of weight on and a very soft-natured face”, Shortt said. Members of the public may recognise him from the film Life’s a Breeze, where he appeared in a dole office scene with Shortt or from past appearances as character Pascal’s carer in Fair City, he said.

Mr McCann is described as being about 175cm (5’ 9”) tall, of medium build with blonde to grey hair. He was wearing charcoal grey jumper, brown trousers and brown shoes when last seen. He was last seen in Stillorgan at 10am on Thursday. It is believed that he then went to the Ballsbridge area as his phone pinged at a mast in the area on Thursday.

The married father of two lives in Baldoyle, Dublin and his children are aged six and five.

His wife Andrea McCann said it was “very unusual” not to hear from him as they would normally talk to or text each other several times per day. It was “totally out of the blue”, she said.“He’s very much a family man” she said on RTE radio. He does not have his wallet or access to money, she told Today FM radio.

Two people had seen a man matching his description on the Dart from Blackrock towards Pearse Street and speaking to some American tourists but this was unable to be confirmed by CCTV, she said.

“He is a very gentle friendly charming man and very engaging and funny ......he has been very stressed,” she said. Many people were helping to search for him and put up posters around the city, she said.

A Facebook page on the efforts to locate Mr McCann can be found here.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blackrock Garda station at 01-6665200, the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.